I'll try to make it to Dusty Strings this Sunday..I have wanted to go but it didn't seem to be on the web site or something.

Anyway, I think you are OK in asking for money back. I want to know the blue book philosophy before I ..if ever.. pay 250 for it. There is a place for everything..certainly if people love it they should do it and say that is what is planned. I have no problem ever with people using paper and have to have it myself to peek at...I find those electronics really interrupt the music because they are small and people have to stop and swipe the page etc...

So truth in advertising..if you don't want them, say so. If you love them, say so. People will enroll accordingly. If it is a social event of people who love the idea of community music, you will get a different musical outcome than if people come for the music itself and want the prettiest music possible. Yes, there is an inverse correlation between number of blue books and prettiness of music.

In camps etc. set aside a room for each, assuming there are two rooms..or have more rooms. Do not allow people to impose on the room..what happens at camps is people find the prettiest music, which is usually done by people who prefer no books, and then haul their books out, and then start passing extra books out, and then start saying let's move the chairs back and make room..no..don't do that please...and then they want the brightest flourescent lights on so they can see the aforementioned books.

And then they sing extra verses the leader does not perhaps want. And they superimpose the blue book words on top of what the leader does want.

So I think in a weekend there could be plenty of workshops promoting the use of blue books for those who love them, with other workshops not wanting them..the evening song circles are the crux of the matter though..just have separate rooms and take your preference and follow the lead of the group in a particular setting. Respect the preferences of people but you don't need to impose. Find anoher room.